


Some Scars Do Not Heal, But Some Do

by YumeAino



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:09:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22425343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumeAino/pseuds/YumeAino
Summary: One-shot that I probably will expand upon and include in the multi-chapter fic I’m planning on for my WoL Yume Aino and her love interest Ser Aymeric de Borel. This takes place almost immediately following the events of the Vault, so MAJOR Heavensward spoilers to follow. It switches between Aymeric’s perspective and Yume’s. Here, Yume learns what really happened to Aymeric before his subsequent rescue, while Aymeric realizes that the woman he secretly longs for is just the comfort that he needs.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel & Warrior of Light, Aymeric de Borel/Original Character(s), Aymeric de Borel/Original Female Character(s), Aymeric de Borel/Player Character, Aymeric de Borel/Warrior of Light
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21
Collections: Final Fantasy XIV - Aymeric de Borel x WoL Recommendations





	Some Scars Do Not Heal, But Some Do

**Author's Note:**

> CONTENT WARNING: Implied Torture
> 
> MAJOR Heavensward Spoilers!

_Do not become like me. Do not push those you love away._

——— 

The throbbing pain in the Lord Commander’s arms, legs, and neck from his chains were weaning to a dull ache, and the cuts that were once seared deeply into his chest and torso had begun to heal over with scar tissue. The chirurgeons had just finished changing his dressings, covering the whole of his injuries. 

Aymeric closes his eyes, praying softly to himself to heal faster. He needs to be back up and in good fighting condition as soon as possible, with the growing unrest in the streets as the rumors began to spread of the Archbishop and the Heaven’s Ward’s flight from the Vault. 

A clanging of metal against the wooden floor alerted Aymeric to the presence of his best friend entering the recovery room. Aymeric turns toward the sound to see Estinien taking off his now red, blood-soaked helm. Estinien’s long white hair falls over his shoulders as he leans over to set his helm on the table next to the bed. 

“How are you feeling?” 

Aymeric heaves a deep breath as he finds his voice after a few seconds, “Could be worse. The pain has mostly subsided, physically at least.” 

The Lord Commander looks away from Estinien and over to the window to see twilight falling over the city. His mind wanders to Count Edmont, to Lord Artoirel and Lord Emmanellain; how are they coping with the shocking reality that Lord Haurchefant will not be coming home? The shock of the loyal knight’s death, and in the manner in which it had occurred, was still so fresh in his mind. Aymeric himself, with all of his very fresh wounds, hurried to Haurchefant as he laid on the airship platform, drawing his last breaths. Thinking on it was still too painful to bear, and he wonders if it will ever get any easier. 

“Estinien, tell me... has this been all for naught? Will my actions, and the sacrifices made by so many, truly change anything? Is Ishgard beyond saving?” 

The subsequent silence hangs in the room for a few moments, as Aymeric glances back over to his friend. 

“Aymeric, you must stop doubting yourself and your convictions. You were correct in your assumptions before the confrontation and your subsequent imprisonment.” 

The Azure Dragoon crosses his arms, leaning against the stone wall in contemplation. “The Archbishop has shown his true colors, and a thousand years of lies and deception have been revealed. Not to mention that the truth of your parentage has been confirmed, which further paints the Archbishop in a bad light. This war will come to an end, and though the path may be hard fought, Ishgard will endure. You know this.” 

Nodding, he replies, “The path will be hard fought indeed, and there are many battles yet to come. But my father must be brought to justice for his crimes. Though I might be branded a heretic and enemy of the state, this is the only way that Ishgard will survive.” 

Aymeric looks back to Estinien and smiles weakly. “You are right, my friend. I must not give in to despair. Not when our people and our allies need me to remain strong. I must not falter.” 

Estinien nods and moves away from the wall. “You would do well to remember that you have knights still loyal to you, along with allies to support your cause.” 

The white-haired dragoon smirks down at Aymeric before he continues, “Speaking of such, a certain  _someone_ has been asking about you, worried that no word has come of your condition.” 

Aymeric immediately looks up wide-eyed and mouth open in shock. “You don’t mean...” 

“Of course. Who else would be hanging around outside the infirmary for hours?” 

For a moment, Aymeric can’t believe what he is hearing. Has she really been asking for him?  _Her?_ With a deep breath, he sighs as her name falls from his lips in reverence and his hand resting on his desperately beating heart, “Yume...” 

He feels both elated and sick to his stomach. Trying to catch his breath, Aymeric looks down at his bandaged body, knowing that he will have deep, visible scars as a reward for the suffering endured. He has been no stranger to war and has been wounded before on numerous occasions, but he had always been heavily armored, and not directly cut into the skin with a sharp blade. 

It was difficult enough to see her look at him with concern in her eyes as he weakly stumbled to her in their flight from the Vault, with her cheeks tear-stained from weeping over Lord Haurchefant’s lifeless body. He did not want to ever see tears flow like that from her eyes again, as the sight tore him up inside. He did not want her to cry over him, not when she can be spared the pain of looking upon him in this state. 

Or worse, would she turn away from him, in anguish, fear, or disgust? Is he now just a beaten down, broken man who will wear these scars till his dying day? The thought of her distancing herself from him, no matter the reason, was utterly crushing to his already fragile state. And he cannot let that happen. 

“Would you like me to send for her? Perhaps she would be of comfort to...” 

“NO!” The Lord Commander practically scares himself at the volume of his voice. Estinien merely raises his eyebrows at the sudden shout from Aymeric. 

Without notice until that moment, a tear falls from his eye and splashes onto the back of his bandaged hand. Shaking, Aymeric lowers his voice to barely a whisper as he fights back more tears, “No, please. I do not want her to see me like this...” 

Estinien lowers his gaze to find a particularly interesting floorboard to stare at, realizing the depth of his friend’s affection for the Auri woman, “You truly are in love with her, aren’t you?” 

Aymeric does not respond, only closing his eyes, still fighting back tears. There was no need to respond, not to the obvious truth. 

Sensing that Aymeric needs to re-compose himself, the Azure Dragoon grabs his helm from the bedside table and puts it back over his head. He turns and takes a few steps, but he stops before he gets to the doorway. 

“As your friend, I shall do as you ask.” Estinien pauses a moment and turns his head back to Aymeric, looking over his shoulder. “One piece of advice though: Do not become like me. Do not push those you love away. One day, her time here in Ishgard will come to an end, and she will be called to the next battlefield. If you push her away now, you will regret it. I promise you.” 

Aymeric finally opens his eyes once more and turns to the doorway to see Estinien rounding the corner to leave him alone in the recovery room, with only the aching in his body and the anguish in his heart for companionship. 

——— 

As the sun falls below the horizon and the cold bitterly bites at her bits of exposed ivory scales on her neck and face, Yume sits at the fountain in the square, with the Congregation of Our Knights Most Heavenly in her view. Rubbing her hands together, she attempts to fight off her chilled bones and keep her mind distracted from her worry. 

It has only been two days since the events at the Vault, but it feels like the days have dragged on into weeks. With Count Edmont and the rest of House Fortemps in mourning and planning the funeral of dear Lord Haurchefant, Yume felt the family needed space. Her friends all have their own grieving processes, and Yume has hers. 

She has been sitting at the fountain for an unknowable amount of time in quiet meditation, attempting to recall the happier times with Haurchefant, a man who was one of the dearest of friends she had met on her travels in Eorzea. 

Yet, no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts return to both the sight of Haurchefant’s lifeless body, and to the elezen man who was laying in recovery, for whom she has received no word of his condition since leaving the Vault. With each passing hour, Yume grows more and more impatient and worrisome. 

Just what was taking so long? Could someone at least come and tell her that Aymeric will be alright? 

Yume was suddenly shaken from her thoughts when the large, imposing doors opened and Estinien came walking out from the building. 

The Au Ra stood up quickly and met Estinien halfway, trying to pull her wine red sweater closer to block the wind blowing around her. “How is he?” 

“Wounds are healing, but he requires more rest,” the dragoon replies bluntly, in hopes that she not inquire further. 

Yume looks up at the Azure Dragoon with watery eyes and meekly asks, “May I see him?” 

Estinien looks down at the petite Auri woman with pity, glad that she cannot see his eyes from under the helm, as it was difficult to keep his face stoical. 

“I am afraid not. He will not receive anymore visitors today.” 

“I... I see...” Crestfallen, she looks away from Estinien and down to the ground. “Thank you, Estinien. I shall try again in the morning.” 

Yume places her hands on her thighs and bows low to Estinien. She then quickly retreats from the square and hurriedly walks towards the Pillars. If she was to return in the morning, she must get some sleep so she can get an early start. She also must get to a private space quickly before she is overcome with emotion. 

Upon returning to Fortemps Manor, she greets the knight at the front door, but once inside, she quickly withdraws to her quarters. 

Once she reaches her private quarters at the end of the hallway, Yume unintentionally slams the door behind her a little too loudly. She flinches and silently prays that no one comes to check on her in response to the noise. 

Releasing the remaining air from her lungs, Yume falls back against the door and slides down to the floor. Placing her arms upon her knees, she buries her head and fights the tears that threaten to overflow. Her mind begins to race, as the questions all come to the surface. 

_Why?_ Why is he not allowing her to see him? What could possibly have happened to him back in the Vault? Aymeric has never refused her before, as he was ever attentive and seemingly pleased to see her, no matter what reason it be. 

In all of the times she spoke with him before, maybe he was just being polite and respectful to her. Perhaps they were not as close as she thought. Wouldn’t he allow her to see him if she was truly his friend? 

Before she could mentally find any answers, suddenly the room starts to spin, and a blinding light hits her eyes. Yume grips her head in pain, as she silently curses her power. Gods no, not right now! 

The Echo strikes her unconscious and an image steadily comes into focus. 

Yume looks around to see what looks like a tiny, dimly lit room with plain stone walls and large metal bars covering the entrance. A prison cell? 

She hears footsteps in the distance and a blonde elezen man with shining white armor and royal blue and gold accents comes into view. Yume recognizes the man in an instant, for he was the one who struck down Lord Haurchefant: Ser Zephirin of the Heaven’s Ward. 

With a clanging of the sound of keys turning a lock, the door to the cell opened. Zephirin turns to his side and shoves someone inside with such force that the body falls to the stone floor, as if lifeless. 

It was only by the tiny sliver of light coming from the hallway that Yume could look upon the visage of the prisoner: turned onto his side was an elezen man with black hair sticking to his forehead in sweat, wearing a torn-open royal blue shirt. If she were able to, she would have gasped in horror. 

_ Aymeric!  _

He was painfully groaning and Yume could see droplets of blood strewn across his handsome face. He was chained with a neck collar, his arms were chained together behind his back, and his legs were chained together. His shirt is ripped and she can see blood stains covering his back. 

Managing to roll over onto his back, Yume sees that his blue undershirt is ripped open, and his exposed chest is covered in deep slashes from just below his neck down to the waist of his black pants. 

Zephirin’s metal grieves clack against the stone floor as he approaches Aymeric, eyes emotionless. 

“Now now Lord Commander, this is getting quite tedious. I tire of carving my blade into your flesh without the joy of being able to end your miserable life.” 

Zephirin steps forward and kicks Aymeric hard in the side, causing Aymeric to cry out in agony. 

“If you do not begin to name names, we will have to use... alternative methods of persuasion. Like the rack, or the iron maiden, perhaps.” 

If she could, Yume would have attacked Zephirin right then. Aymeric painfully lifts his head to look at the Heaven’s Ward Commander. Though it looks as though it hurts with every fiber of his being, Aymeric manages to choke out a reply, “Never. You are going to have to kill me.” 

Ser Zephirin sighs and shakes his head in exasperation. “You know very well that I can’t do that, I have my orders after all. However...” 

The blonde elezen then leans over to hover close to Aymeric’s face, eyes full of contempt. 

“I might have to see if one of your dear comrades would be willing to talk. One of them might be a little more... cooperative.” 

If looks could kill, Aymeric would have killed Zephirin on the spot. Aymeric opened his mouth as if to speak, but Yume heard another voice calling out from the hallway, though she couldn’t see who is was that spoke, “Ser, the Vault is under attack! You are needed straight away!” 

Zephirin stands upright again and taunts Aymeric as he leaves the cell, “We will have to finish this later, after I have delt with your comrades.” 

As Zephirin disappears down the hallway, the vision dissipates. Yume slowly regains consciousness and the throbbing pain in her head subsides. 

Looking up, she remembers that she is in her quarters at Fortemps Manor. Yume looks down at her hands and sees that she is visibly shaking. 

“How...?! How could they have done this?! To hurt you, and then to kill Haurchefant!” Yume speaks out loud to herself as she hits the floor with her fist with such force that she was almost certain that someone must have heard her. 

In that instant, Yume could no longer hold back and the tears start to freely flow. 

“Aymeric.... Haurchefant... I am so sorry... I was not fast enough...” She tries in futility to wipe away her tears. “I should have been the one with my flesh cut open, or the one struck down protecting my friends...” 

Yume stands up and throws herself upon the bed, burying her face into the pillow. The tears would not stop, and she continues to silently weep long into the night. 

——— 

As the sun rises over the Ishgardian horizon and the beams of morning light peak through the infirmary room window, Aymeric stirs and flips over, away from the gods forsaken sun shining directly in his face. 

Though he has been almost entirely confined to the recovery bed, he has not gotten much sleep, partially due to the dull ache from his wounds but also from the torment in his heart. 

Ever since Aymeric pleaded with Estinien to not let Yume see him, she was all he could think about. 

The Lord Commander has been so filled with worry and fear that she would look upon him with pain or disgust, that he never had considered the opposite: could those deep blue eyes of hers hold his gaze with a warm glow and her lips upturn into a gentle smile, all for him? In the past, Estinien jested that she might hold a fondness for Aymeric, in an attempt to tease him for his own feelings towards the Au Ra. Yet, could it actually be true? 

At times, he had to bury his feelings deep down, especially when she was near. She always inspires certain...  _thoughts_ in him. How many times had he wanted reach out and caress her ivory scaled cheek, to feel the smooth scales transition to soft skin? How many times did he stare at her plump lips, wishing that he could kiss them with all the love and passion he held for her? Even with only a vision of her face in his mind, she sends chills down his spine and his heart beating with fervor. 

Was what Estinien spoke in jest actually possible? Does Yume harbor feelings for him in turn? If she does, he might have just squandered the opportunity to see if friendship could blossom into something more. 

Aymeric grits his teeth and punches the mattress, while holding his head in his other hand. How can he be such a stubborn fool?! He would be lucky if Yume considered him a friend still, after his bout of self-depreciation yesterday. 

Just a moment later, Captain Whitecape walks into the room with a big smile on his face. 

“Ser Aymeric, how are you feeling this morning?” 

Aymeric sighs deeply. “If you refer to my physical condition, then I will say that it has improved.” 

“Well, I was asking about you in general, but that answer will suffice for now.” The head chirurgeon folds his arms and smirks down at the Lord Commander. “I have some good news and some even better news.” 

Aymeric looks up at Captain Whitecape in anticipation as the Hyur man continued, “The good news is that you should be out of the infirmary later this afternoon. Your wounds should be fully healed in the next few days, but the worst has passed, with no further worry about blood loss. Also, you will be cleared to return to light duty starting tomorrow.” 

“That is a welcome relief. I miss sleeping in my own bed.” Aymeric says as he curiously looks to the chirurgeon. “So, what is the even better news...?” 

“It seems as though the Azure Dragoon has failed in deterring a young lady from her mission to visit you.” 

“What?!” Aymeric replies in shock. 

“She left at nightfall, but she has returned this morning bearing a gift for you. She is most insistent that she deliver it to you in person.” 

Aymeric leans back onto the pillows with a beaming smile on his face. 

“So, you are as stubborn as I, Yume...” He says softly to himself, not caring in the moment that Captain Whitecape is still within earshot. 

“Shall I send her in, Ser?” 

Aymeric looks over to the chirurgeon and nods. “Please...” 

Captain Whitecape bows low to the Lord Commander and retreats from the room. 

Silence falls over the room once more. Aymeric smiles up at the ceiling, recalling Estinien’s words to him: 

_Do not become like me. Do not push those you love away._

“Yume, you have not given up on me yet,” Aymeric softly speaks aloud. “Never shall I give up on you... nor the possibility of us.” 

——— 

Yume steadily walks down the hallway of the infirmary to Aymeric’s recovery room, which she was told was located at the end of the hall. She grips the porcelain bowl both out of fear of dropping its contents onto the floor and from showing how much her hands are shaking with anxious energy. 

Taking several deep breaths, she gets to the last doorway on the right side of the hall and turns to look inside. 

The immediate sight of the tall black-haired elezen man laying in the bed made her heart skip a beat. She would recognize his handsome features anywhere, even if she has never seen him without his signature armor and royal blue cloak. 

Aymeric turns to the open doorway, as if he could sense her presence, though she had tried to walk silently. His ice blue eyes seem to glow as he smiles warmly at her. 

“Yume... how good it is to see you, my friend.” 

The Auri woman hesitates a moment, as she just forgot what she had wanted to say. Damn his beautiful smile that always seems to disarm her. 

“Aymeric...” She smiles back at him and bows as low as she could without spilling the contents of the bowl. “I apologize if I am disturbing you, and for pestering the chirurgeons yesterday.” 

Aymeric chuckles and waves her over to the chair beside the bed. “You are not disturbing me in the least. In fact, this is the best I have felt in days.” 

“Truly? I am so happy to hear that.” Yume walks over to set the bowl on the bedside table and sits down. 

She briefly looks over to see that Aymeric’s neck, wrists, and the entirety of his chest, as far as she can see, is covered in bandages. Remembering what she had seen in the echo vision last night, she fights to not bring tears to her eyes. 

She reminds herself that now is not the time to cry. He just needs to see her smile. 

“So, how long before you get to go home?” 

“I actually get to leave this afternoon. I can’t wait either, as I have never remained in one spot for this long in over a decade.” 

Yume giggles softly as she leans over to lift the lid on the bowl. “Here, I brought you something to eat. It is not much, but it should be easy to eat and soothing while you recover.” 

“My friend, you did not have to go through such trouble on my account! But I thank you all the same.” 

Aymeric leans over the bowl and views it contents. “It looks and smells delicious! Though I do not recognize what these ingredients are.” 

Yume smiles and hands him a spoon so he can taste her gift. “It is called miso soup. It is a common dish from my homeland, and is usually eaten at breakfast.” 

As Aymeric dips the spoon into the broth and proceeds to taste the soup, Yume continues her explanation, “The ingredients are simple: dashi broth, miso paste, tofu, and green onions. You can also add any fish or meat you like, but I find it this way is easy to keep down when one is on the mend.” 

Yume looks upon Aymeric’s face inquisitively to read his expression. Instead of seeing a tell first, he moans in delight, which instantly sends the butterflies in her stomach into shock. She feels heat rush to her cheeks as he takes another bite. 

“It is quite heavenly! I had no idea that among your many talents, you are also a skilled culinarian!” 

With embarrassment, Yume puts her hands up to her face to hide her blushing cheeks from Aymeric and laughs. “I am only an amateur, I assure you!” 

“Amateur or no, this is delicious,” Aymeric responds after taking a few more bites. 

Yume smiles brightly. “You flatter me so. If you would like, I can give you my recipe.” 

With what Yume could only call as bedroom eyes, Aymeric looks directly upon her face as he reaches out and takes hold of her hand. “I think... I would much rather invite you over for dinner sometime and you can show me how to make it yourself.” 

He begins to draw circles on the back of Yume’s scaled hand with his thumb. A moment later, Yume places her other hand on top of his, feeling the warmth radiating from his soft, tanned skin. 

With a nod and a beaming smile gracing her face, Yume affirms, “I would like that very much.” 


End file.
